Shooter Files by f.d. walker

Street Photography Tips, Interaction, Travel, Guides

Travel Photography

Street Shot Sundays
Photo of the Week:
“Bear Tracks”

Street Shot Sundays Story & Stats

Story:

This Sunday’s Street Shot of the Week was taken in Hanoi, Vietnam on the train tracks. Hanoi’s railroad runs through the center of the city by the Old Quarter and can make a great walk for shooting. You won’t find many tourists or crowds here, but you will find a more peaceful, local atmosphere. What’s great about it are the little homes lining the tracks. These older buildings are only steps from the tracks and while they’re slowly falling apart, they still hold plenty of life. Many people leave the doors open and the outside feels like an extension of their home. Women hang clothes out to dry, men sit out for a smoke, kids play, and chickens hop around looking for feed.

I was walking the railroad during an extra quiet morning when I noticed a bear shaped balloon lying by the tracks. It had just enough helium left inside to make it slightly stand up on the gravel. It added a funny look to the scene so I decided to stop and see if anything more would come. Just before I was about to give up and keep walking, a man came out from one of the trackside homes for a smoke. He paid me no attention at first so I made a couple quick photos just as the wind positioned the bear looking towards the man.

After a photo or two, he noticed me and then noticed the bear balloon. He started to laugh and we struck up a conversation. It was a hot and humid day so he offered me some juice and told me how he’d recently moved to Norway with his wife, but was back in Hanoi visiting family. After the juice and small conversation were done, I said goodbye. To him and the bear.

 Stats:

  • Camera: Fujifilm Xpro1
  • Lens: Fujinon XF 18mm 
  • Focal Length: 18mm (27mm full frame equivalent)
  • Aperture: f/11
  • Shutter Speed: 1/500
  • ISO: 800

3-Day Color Street Photography Workshop in London (March 2017)

3-Day Color Street Photography Workshop in London

Announcing a 3-day street photography workshop in London on March 10th. The workshop comes under the umbrella of The Street Collective and will be led by Dmitry Stepanenko and myself, Forrest Walker. 

Workshop Description:

The workshop’s focus is on color street photography and finding your vision. The workshop will include a mixture of daily photo walks, photo critiques, portfolio reviews and interactive lectures. This is an intensive workshop with multiple instructors fully involved each step of the way to make sure you get the most out of your time. 

It is a street photography workshop so we will be walking and making photos daily, working in smaller groups, one-on-one with each of us and on your own so you can really focus on all aspects of your photography. We will pass on our own techniques and at the end of each walk we will allow time for discussion and review.

In addition to the walks, Friday will start with a portfolio review and Sunday will end with a workshop review. Both will include constructive feedback and critique from Dmitry and I. Throughout the workshop, we will hold interactive lectures focusing on color street photography and finding your vision. Slide show examples of a variety of color work, past and present, will be shown and discussed in-depth, including artistic approaches and composition. From there, we will put the focus on you and the practices that will help you improve. These lessons will give an opportunity to discuss everything from what makes a photo strong to the different techniques that can help you reach your goals in street photography. All with a focus on the power of color and helping vision in street photography. Students are also expected to take an active part in several activities aimed at enhancing their vision and broadening the artistic experiences.

Additional Information:

  • The workshop will be limited to 10 people so we can keep the groups small and give plenty of personal attention. With two instructors, we can have a 1 to 5 ratio and allow more quality interaction.
  • The workshop fee covers not only the time during the workshop, but also the time spent on workshop preparation with each individual and any time needed outside of the daily schedule.

WHERE: London, UK

WHEN: March 10-12, 2017

PRICE: 400 GBP for the full 3 day workshop and preparation

Daily Schedule:

Friday March 10th: 12pm-6pm

Saturday March 11th: 9am-5pm (We will break for lunch and give time for more interaction after 5pm, if needed)

Sunday March 12th: 9am-5pm (We will break for lunch and give time for more interaction after 5pm, if needed. In the evening everyone is invited to a local pub to finish the weekend)

How do you sign up?:

Email me at: hello@fdwalker.com

Pay through Paypal:

Workshop Fee – Save Your Spot!

LINKS:

The Street Collective: www.thestreetcollective.com
Dmitry Stepanenko: dmitrystepanenko.com
Forrest Walker: shooterfiles.com and fdwalker.com

Dmitry Stepanenko

Forrest Walker

33 Street Photography Photos from One Week in Bangkok, Thailand

bangkok-33-cover

After leaving my home in Ho Chi Minh City, on my way to traveling Europe for the summer, I decided to fit a stop in Bangkok, Thailand. It was a chance to meet the many talented local street photographers here, while of course fitting in some time for street photography of my own. Bangkok was a challenge with how many of the streets and neighborhoods can feel empty, but after exploring enough and getting some local advice, I was able to find some spots for photography.

So here’s 33 photos that I was able to capture during my time in Bangkok…

[Read more…] about 33 Street Photography Photos from One Week in Bangkok, Thailand

Street Shot Sundays
Photo of the Week:
“Bad Fish”

Hong Kong Shooter Files-16

Street Shot Sundays Story & Stats

Story:

This Sunday’s Street Shot of the Week was taken in the Wan Chai district of Hong Kong. Sorry if this shot turns anyone off, but it makes me laugh. Life isn’t always pretty, but at least it can still be laughed at. Wan Chai is Hong Kong’s famous red light district, where sailors came for some R&R in the old days. Today, much of that has changed with shopping centers, sky scrapers, markets, restaurants, bars and more.

On this day, the bad weather in Hong Kong was only getting worse for me, as it started to pour rain once again. So I took cover under the sidewalk awning of a restaurant in Wan Chai. I was looking at the fish in the tank when all of a sudden a mom came rushing out pushing her child. Just before they made it to the sidewalk, the boy couldn’t hold it in any longer. Needless to say, I didn’t go in for a bite to eat after that review, but I did decide to capture the moment. I doubt this is what Henri Cartier-Bresson was thinking of when he termed “The Decisive Moment,” but those fish do look interested. 

Stats:

  • Camera: Fujifilm Xpro1
  • Lens: Fujinon XF 18mm 
  • Focal Length: 18mm (27mm full frame equivalent)
  • Aperture: f/2.8
  • Shutter Speed: 1/500
  • ISO: 1600

Hong Kong Shooter Files-16

7 First Impressions of Saint-Petersburg, Russia
(From a Street Photography Perspective)

saint-petersburg-impressions-cover

One of the most common questions I get is “what is my favorite city for street photography?” I find positives and things I like and miss in every city I go to. Cities are different and it’s impossible for me to name one best city. But I do have a few that stick out in my memory and Saint-Petersburg is one of them. It’s also the city that causes many people the biggest surprise when I mention it. While they know all about cities like Istanbul, London or Havana, they usually ask me to explain “Why Saint-Petersburg?” 

saint-petersburg-sf-67

Well, there’s just something magical about Saint-Petersburg. The canals, pastel colors, incredible architecture, bridges, islands, hundreds of parks, and more give it this atmosphere that has to be experienced. The life and people are full of character too, but it’s a diverse mix of character. 

For more details behind some of what I love about this city, here are my first impressions of Saint-Petersburg, from a personal street photographer perspective…

[Read more…] about 7 First Impressions of Saint-Petersburg, Russia (From a Street Photography Perspective)

City Street Guides by f.d. walker:
A Street Photography Guide to
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

saigon-guide-cover

*A series of guides on shooting Street Photography in cities around the world. Find the best spots to shoot, things to capture, street walks, street tips, safety concerns, and more for cities around the world. I have personally researched, explored and shot Street Photography in every city that I create a guide for. So you can be ready to capture the streets as soon as you step outside with your camera!

Ho Chi Minh City

[Read more…] about City Street Guides by f.d. walker: A Street Photography Guide to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Street Shot Sundays
Photo of the Week:
“Goldfish Store”

Hong Kong Shooter Files-22

Street Shot Sundays Story & Stats

Story:

This Sunday’s Street Shot of the Week was taken around the Goldfish Market in Hong Kong. The Goldfish Market is one of the more unique markets you’ll come across. Goldfish are extremely popular in Hong Kong, partly due to their aquariums containing all five elements of Feng Shui. They’re used to balance the home and bring good luck, while also providing a pet that doesn’t require much space.

Thousands of bagged fish of different colors and shapes line the streets here. Inside the different shops, you’ll find aquariums, equipment and even more fish for sale. For this shot, I was looking at the street reflection showing on the aquarium of fish. I made a couple of photos closer to the reflection, but then noticed the scene inside the shop. So just as the woman took a phone pic of the fish and the man bent over to pick a new pet, I snapped this photo, while including the reflected aquarium. The Goldfish Market can be an interesting place to walk for street photography. There’s probably no other place you’ll see so many businessmen and other characters shopping for goldfish like here. 

Stats:

  • Camera: Fujifilm Xpro1
  • Lens: Fujinon XF 18mm 
  • Focal Length: 18mm (27mm full frame equivalent)
  • Aperture: f/8
  • Shutter Speed: 1/500
  • ISO: 1600

Hong Kong Shooter Files-22

Street Shot Sundays
Photo of the Week:
“Alley Blues”

Hong Kong Shooter Files-6

Street Shot Sundays Story & Stats

Story:

This Sunday’s Street Shot of the Week was taken in the Mong Kok area of Hong Kong. Mong Kok, located in Kowloon, is one of the busiest and most highly populated districts in the world. Its mix of older and newer buildings contain much of the character Hong Kong’s past is known for. It’s also one of the major shopping areas in Hong Kong, with some of the city’s most interesting markets and narrow alleys.

I was exploring some of these alleys when I captured this shot. Unfortunately, Hong Kong’s weather has aways been poor for me, but this day was extra bad. It had just finished pouring rain and I was standing under a canopy in the alley when I noticed this woman coming from around the corner. She was hunched over in an interesting position, with her hands behind her back, but what grabbed my attention was how her blue plastic honcho matched the blue rain tarp down the alley.

So I waited for her to walk by the tarp once the neon sign hit her, providing some light. The blues and atmosphere match the wet mood and alley character I remember most from those rainy days in Hong Kong. 

Stats:

  • Camera: Fujifilm Xpro1
  • Lens: Fujinon XF 18mm 
  • Focal Length: 18mm (27mm full frame equivalent)
  • Aperture: f/2.8
  • Shutter Speed: 1/500
  • ISO: 1600

Hong Kong Shooter Files-6

The Friday 5
(November 11th, 2016)

FRIDAY-5-COVER

5 Photographic Links for Your Weekend

Discover

Photographer of the week: Tomasz Lazar

Watch

Video of the Week: Leica & Magnum: Constantine Manos – Personal Documentary

Read

Article of the Week: Aberfan: The Village That Lost a Generation

Travel

Photography Destination of the Week: Mumbai, India

Look

InstaGram of the week: @pierre.belhassen

pierre-insta

33 Street Photography Photos from One Week in Hanoi, Vietnam

hanoi-33-cover

Living in Ho Chi Minh City, I had to make a visit up to Vietnam’s capital. Hanoi quickly became one of my favorite city’s in Asia for street photography, with endless character, charm, places to shoot, and people just as photography friendly as back home in Saigon. Being thousands of years old, you feel the city’s age when exploring the streets. From a city of over 3 million people, there’s an authentic, old world atmosphere it exudes. 

So here’s 33 photos that I was able to capture during my time in Hanoi…

[Read more…] about 33 Street Photography Photos from One Week in Hanoi, Vietnam